MGMA Asks CMS to Extend ACO Application Deadline

MGMA groups came together to write to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), asking them to extend the application deadline for accountable care organizations (ACOs) that wish to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) beginning July 1, 2019.

The CMS announced in December that the applications would be due on February 19, 2019. The letter from the MGMA requests that the application deadline be extended to March 29, 2019. The MGMA groups are concerned that the final rule for the program, which was published on December 31, 2018, is complex and that applicants are still familiarizing themselves with how they can successfully participate in the program.

They argue that additional time is necessary for ACOs to evaluate their options and complete the application’s requirements. ACOs are not always a single provider, but often are large physician groups, hospitals, and nursing facilities. Large practices like this are struggling to meet the February 19 deadline because they must have several boards sign on to finalize applications. The MGMA groups believe it is likely that the time-crunch will cause program participation to suffer.

The MGMA groups understand that the CMS must work within a timeline, but they express a desire for the MSSP to be sustained long-term and are concerned that the deadline will affect this.

See the letter written by the MGMA coalition. Yeo & Yeo Medical Billing & Consulting will follow this issue and communicate new developments.